The first Christian Rap I ever listened to was "Nu Thang" by DC Talk. The year was 1990, I was ten, and I listened to the tape on my Sony Walkman, which, I might add, had the ever fancy auto-reverse feature. Kind of a big deal. Anyway, "Nu Thang" was fun. It sounded more hip-hop-MC-Hammer-ish than a track of serious rhymes and beats. A quick look at the lyrics gives a fairly … [Read more...] about The Evolution of Christian Rap
Why Protestants Reject the Apocrypha
"Apocry-what?" I remember hearing that word for the first time in college when I was working at a Christian bookstore. The store carried a couple Catholic Bibles that included the Apocrypha, and the addition of these books caught me off guard. Like many Protestants, I was unfamiliar with these writings. I had no idea some Christians had "bigger" Bibles, and honestly, I … [Read more...] about Why Protestants Reject the Apocrypha
Preaching Simply
Martin Luther (as quoted in Martin Llyod-Jones, Preachers & Preaching, p. 128) offers a helpful reminder to heady preachers: "A preacher should have the skill to teach the unlearned simply, roundly and plainly; for teaching is of more importance than exhorting...When I preach I regard neither doctors nor magistrates, of whom I have above forty in the congregation. I have … [Read more...] about Preaching Simply
Images of the Bible – Shattering the Trees
Nature lies outside the grasp of my control. One decent thunderstorm is enough to make this clear. And in Tennessee, we get some lively storms, complete with lightning, hail, damaging winds, and even the occasional tornado touching down. The thunder can crack so loud it shakes our house. The lightning still startles me, and with good reason. Scientists say lightning can heat … [Read more...] about Images of the Bible – Shattering the Trees
Magical Mission Trips and Camp Highs
As a pastor in student ministries, camps and mission trips comprise part of my yearly calendar. I love these opportunities, and in any given year, some of my favorite memories come from these concentrated times away. But as fun and helpful as these trips are, I find they can be a source of confusion and even consternation. Let me explain. People tend to approach these … [Read more...] about Magical Mission Trips and Camp Highs